At the Mobile World Congress 2024 technology show, Lenovo unveiled a concept ThinkBook that captures imagination with a transparent display and a laser-projected keyboard. The reveal drew attention from tech media, including reports from The Verge.
The concept centers on a frameless 17.3-inch screen built around MicroLED technology. When the pixels are dark or turned off, the display offers about half transparency. As images brighten, transparency decreases, and the screen can reach up to 1000 nits of brightness, transitioning toward an opaque white surface. This behavior means the device can switch from a see-through interface to a clearly legible display in bright environments.
However, commentary from The Verge highlighted several practical challenges. The most immediate concern is privacy and distraction: content on the transparent screen becomes visible not only to the user but also to others nearby, which could raise issues in public or shared spaces. Another limitation concerns resolution. In the MicroLED configuration, the display would present at 720p when transparent, and even if a higher resolution were pursued, the nature of transparency imposes compromises. If an OLED matrix replaced the MicroLED setup, a drop to 480p resolution could occur, reducing detail at a time when crisp text and images matter most.
Beyond the transparent screen, Lenovo experimented with a laser keyboard rather than a traditional physical keyboard. The keyboard is projected onto the rear surface of the device, with motion sensors detecting finger taps in designated zones of the projection. This approach aims to create a clean, seamless top surface while still providing a functional input experience.
As a concept device, the ThinkBook is not positioned as a consumer product in Lenovo’s current roadmap. The company has expressed no immediate plans to bring a consumer version to market, focusing instead on exploring and showcasing new display and input technologies through concept demos.
In addition to this project, Lenovo has previously demonstrated laptops that incorporate self-healing capabilities, illustrating a broader interest in how hardware can recover from minor damage or wear over time. These explorations underscore Lenovo’s ongoing commitment to pushing the boundaries of portable computing and material resilience, even if not every idea becomes a market product.